What is Happening to Our Food Supply with Genetic Modification?

Technology is moving ahead at breakneck speed in modifying our food supply.At times this is at the expense of proper evaluation as to the safety of the end product and how it may affect our long-term health.

What is genetic modification (GM)?It is the use of modern technology to create totally new organisms, thus GMO.

You may recall several years ago when a genetically engineered tryptophan was introduced into health food stores around the U.S. and many people died and many more became ill.The supplement had contaminants which were by-products of the genetic engineering process.In order to distract attention from the fact that the supplement was genetically engineered, a ban was put on the sale of all tryptophan.Tryptophan, an amino acid in natural form, had been used for years to reduce symptoms of stress, insomnia, and depression.

Over 90% of the soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically modified so they are resistant to Roundup.It is referred to as Roundup Ready soy.This means when the soybean fields are sprayed with Roundup, a common weed killer, the soybean plants are resistant to the weed killer.

Unfortunately in many nutritional discussions, the differences between traditional unmodified soy and GMO soy are not acknowledged.Fortunately for those of us who are concerned about our health, there are studies on the differences and the effects on the human body.

Concerns from some of the studies are:

Increased liver metabolism probably from elevated levels of toxins,

Changes in enzyme activity in the kidneys, heart, and liver,

Compromised pancreatic function which sets the stage for malnutrition, bacterial overgrowth, and the development of mild to severe food allergies,

Impaired digestion of carbohydrates,

Increase in bacterial by-products and mucus production,

Injury to small intestinal surface,

Offspring likely to be small and often do not survive,

Offspring may be sterile,

Serious deficiencies of minerals,

And the list could go on.

Soy was the first Roundup Ready crop to be developed and marketed.The process was patented by a major company and about half of their income comes from the sales of Roundup and Roundup Ready seeds.

So, what can we do to protect ourselves?Know the source of any soy product you consume and know the company behind that soy product.

My husband is lactose intolerant to the point he cannot overindulge in milk, cheese, and other milk products so we use “Silk” soy milk instead of cow milk. The label on the carton of ‘Silk Organic’ has a statement about GMO, “We use only organic soybeans grown without genetic engineering right here in North America.”

Be alert to the news and cautions made public.Of course, at that point some of the damage may already be done.Once the genetically modified soy was replaced in the diet with natural unmodified soy most of the symptoms decreased and even reversed to some degree.

Soy is a source of an important nutrient in the human diet. Science has shown soy to be one of the healthiest sources of protein available. Soy consumption has been attributed to helping to prevent osteoporosis, reduce cancer risk, and cut heart disease. Here’s some of the latest research on soy:

Soy may reduce breast cancer risk! A 47% reduction of breast cancer risk was noted in women who regularly ate soy during both teen and adulthood.

Supplemental soy promotes cardiovascular health! Women who took a daily soy supplement showed improvements in cholesterol and insulin levels. Soy may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke in women after menopause.

Soy reduces pain and inflammation! Researchers have theorized that people who rely on strong painkillers with harsh side effects to treat chronic pain may be able to decrease the dosage of their drugs or discontinue their use altogether by adding soy to their diet.

How do you add healthy soy to your diet?If you’re not into tofu, soy milk and such, supplements are a convenient and intelligent choice for adding soy to your diet.GNLD has soy supplements that will fit every need and they are all certified non-GMO.

GNLD soy supplements to consider are:

Education is the Key to Safe Health!

Blessings, Pat Moon

Information for this article was used with permission from ‘Image Awareness Wellness Institute’ Jan 2011 newsletter and from ‘GNLD News You Can Use’ Nov/Dec 2002